Workplace expert, Acas, has launched new training with the CIPD for employers on how to work effectively with trade unions.
Hazel Rounthwaite, Acas Director of Advice and Business Solutions, said:
“Effective relationships between trade unions and employers can help build trust, prevent disputes and contribute to healthy productive organisations.
“This exciting collaboration brings Acas’s practical experience in industrial and employment relations alongside the CIPD’s professional credibility in HR.
“The joint training covers essentials such as understanding the role of trade unions at work, collective bargaining as well as new legal rights for trade unions that have been introduced by the Government’s new Employment Rights Act 2025.”
The new joint training helps employers to understand the basics, such as:
- the role of trade unions and their rights
- collective bargaining and consultations
- how to prevent conflict before it escalates
- Acas’s role in dispute resolution and employment relations
- creating a stable and positive workplace culture that’s built on trust and clear communication
The CIPD is the professional body for HR and people development.
David D’Souza, director of profession at the CIPD, said:
“New measures in the Employment Rights Act mark a significant shift in industrial relations and will make it easier for trade unions to gain recognition and access workplaces.
“By partnering with Acas to deliver this training, we want to help equip employers with the practical knowledge, skills and confidence to understand the changes and work effectively with unions.”
Find out more about the training and upcoming dates.
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Background notes
Acas is working with the Government as well as other partners to provide advice and help employers and workers prepare for the changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Acas is the leading authority on workplace relations and dispute resolution in Great Britain and draws on expertise and insights with millions of employers and employees across the country.
The CIPD supports thousands of HR professionals and organisations in understanding employment policy, practice, and evidence, and has been involved in consultations on the Employment Rights Act.